Brutal winter leads to high costs, spring shortfalls

An IndyGo bus is reflected in the standing water in potholes at the intersection of Washington Street and Forest Avenue on April 16, 2014.(Photo: Joe Vitti/The Star)Buy Photo

In an effort to mollify council Democrats, the Ballard administration has revised its map of streets slated for $8 million in emergency repairs.

The compromise means resurfacing could begin next month on miles of pockmarked streets with yawning potholes and crumbling patchwork.

The new plan includes districts of every City-County Council member. Democrats tabled the first proposal last week because it didn't provide road funds in four Democratic districts. They now say the new repair schedule could lead to the release of $8.3 million from an infrastructure reserve fund.

Indianapolis, like many Central Indiana cities, has been scrambling to find money to repair potholes caused by several rounds of subzero temperatures. Many cities spent double or more what they usually use to remove snow, leaving little for repairs.

Major arteries in some areas are so littered with potholes that they need to be redone because simply filling isn't enough.

"Some of these roads are in worse conditions than ever; it is pretty obvious," Mayor Greg Ballard said Wednesday. "If we don't get the money to fix them, they will have to be patched and patched and patched."

Star Photographer Robert Scheer takes you on a tour of some of the worst spots in town, including his pick for worst potholes in Indy, Friday, April 11, 2014.
Robert Scheer/The Star

Indianapolis spent $14.5 million on snow removal last year, double what it had budgeted and three to four times more than it normally spends.

In Westfield, the increase was just as dramatic — it spent about $190,000 on snow removal, up from about $60,000 last winter.

"It was an extremely rough winter on municipalities as a whole," said Erin Verplank, communications director for Westfield. "This was something that was shocking to everyone, and it did seem to never end."

Westfield officials figure they saved money this year by paying contractors about $20,000 to clear snow from neighborhoods. Still, the city spent more than $50,000 on 1,400 hours of driver overtime.

In preparation for next winter, Verplank said Westfield has filled its salt barn in hopes of avoiding a possible price hike going into next winter.

So far, Verplank said snow-removal spending has not forced the city to make other cuts. The overruns are being absorbed and managed within the current budget, she said.

Carmel has spent $337,000 on overtime and $149,000 on fuel to clear the snow from more than 1,700 miles of city streets, said spokeswoman Nancy Heck. The city also has poured out $792,000 for 9,400 tons of salt, compared to $470,000 for 6,500 tons of salt last winter.

"This was no doubt one of the most challenging winters we've seen in Carmel, but we managed to keep our roads in good condition so that local businesses would be able to stay open," Mayor Jim Brainard said.

Greenwood spent $80,000 fighting a single storm in early January, according to Kevin Steinmetz, a project assistant for the mayor's office. The Greenwood Municipal Airport spent $27,000 to hire private plows to clear snow from the runway.

Adam Stone, Greenwood's controller, said the increased spending on overtime, plows and salt means spending will be lowered on other projects. The airport, Stone said, has been forced to call off some planned maintenance projects.

"The departments are doing their absolute best to absorb the higher than anticipated costs," Stone said in a email. "However, as a result of the snow, there will be spending decisions that will have to be made."

Avon spent about $500,000 on salt, sand and private contractors, compared to about $142,000 last winter.

Over five years, Avon's average snow removal spending is about $208,000, said Ryan Cannon, the public works director.

The town also is spending more to patch potholes, but there's less money for more permanent road repairs.

"We balance our road maintenance with our snow removal," Cannon said. "The fact that our snow removal went over means we have to do less road maintenance."

Meanwhile, in Indianapolis, leaders seemed ready for battle over the fallout from the brutal winter.

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Democratic Public Works Committee Chairman Vernon Brown said the new road surfacing list is much improved and with a few tweaks he would probably bring it to a vote at the next committee hearing in May.

"It's better, it's fairer but they only did it because we demanded it," Brown said.

DPW spokeswoman Stephanie Wilson said the first proposal was a list of the "worst of the worst" roads without regard to where they were located. She said the department revised the list to expedite funding for the repairs.

"Anyone who drives knows how bad it is out there," Wilson said. "Still, it is incredibly sad and frustrating that all of the worst segments we originally identified can't get the attention they deserve because they aren't in the right council districts."